Distilling system



Jan. 3, 1933. P, R, GRAY mamm- DISTILLING SYSTEM Filed June 8. A1927 2Sheets-$21661I l k s N 2 8 gums/:45507,

2 sheets-super 2 P. R. GRAY DISTILLING SYSTEM Filed June 8, 1927 MHV:Ixo

Jam 3, 1933.

Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT-orales e PHILANDER R. GRAY,OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY; ALANSON MCD. GRAY, ADMINIS- TRATOR OF SAIDPHILANDER R. `GRAY, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TY THE GRAY PROC- ESSESCORPORATION, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE DISTILLINGSYSTEMl Application led June 8, 1927. Serial No. 197,268.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of distillation.

electrical generator so t Heretoforethe energy represented by the heatof hydrocarbon vapors under pressure during the process of distillationhas been 1n effect wasted inasmuch as no attempt has been made toconvert such energy into useful work.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide means forand methods of converting the energy represented by the heat ofhydrocarbon vapors under pressure during a distillin `process intouseful work.

The invention 1s especially applicable to the process of destructivedistillation under pressure, known in the art as cracking and toprocesses of distillation under pressure. To accomplish the purposes ofthe invention, the vapors in a system of the character mentioned above,havin a relatively high temperature and under igh pressure, are passedthrough a prime mover or motor of the steam engine type. Such motor maybe a steam turbine, a steam engine or any other prime mover of thischaracter. The motor in turn may be connected directly1 or indirectly toan at the passage of vapor through the motor will result in theproduction of electric current which may be utilized in operatingsuitable parts of the distilling system or for any other purposedesired. However, the prime mover may be any mover dependent'upon theexpansion of an elastic vapor, such as a pump of the steam engine type.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent byreference to the followin detailed description read in the li ht of t eaccompanying drawings wherein igure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration ofa pressure distilling or cracking system embodying the presentinvention, and

Figure 2 is a similar view of a modified arran ement.

Re erring now to the drawings, 10 illustrates a cracking coil which mabe of any desired type, the heat necessary or the operation of which isfurnished by the burner 11. Hydrocarbons are forced into and through thecracking coil under pressure from any suitable outside source and by anysuitable i means through a pipe line 12 indirect connection with thecoil.` The heat from the burner 11 is imparted "to the hydrocarbonsduring their passage through the coil, with the result that thehydrocarbons are raised to cracking temperature. After being forcedthrough and from the cracking coil, the mixture of liquid and vapor isled into the reaction chamber 13 wherein the vapors are sepw. aratedfrom the liquid. Vapors leaving the reaction chamber pass into thebottom of a dephlegmator 14 wherein the well-known step of dephlegmationis carried out. The` vapors leaving the dephlegmator pass therefromthrough a conduit 15 having a" branch line 16 and in which is inserted arelief valve 17 and a by-pass arrangement, the function of which willhereafter be explained in detail. The conduit 15 leads directly into thebottom of a fractionator 18 wherein the further step of fractionaldistillation is carried out. The vapors resulting from the ste offractional distillation pass from the ractionator 18 into a condenserbox 19 through a pipe line 20.

In order that the heat of the vapors leaving the dephlegmator may beutilized, the

branch line 16 controlled by valves 21 and 22 is connected with theinlet of a prime mover or motor of the steam engine type 23. As i1-lustrated, such prime mover is a vapor turbine which may be eitherdirectly connected to or geared to an electrical generator 24. A trap 25in communication with the line 16 Vprovides means for draining anycondensate means of pump 29 into the fractionator through the line 30,or into dephlegmator through line 50`V as may be desired while vaporspass therefrom through the line 31 into the bottom of the fractionatoras shown.

Suitable valves 51 and 52 are provided in lines 30 and 50 forcontrolling the flow of liquid from vessel 28 into the fractionator anddephlegmator respectively.

The vapors leaving the fractionator 18, as before explained, passthrough the pipe line 20 into the condenser box 19. "Suitableconnections are made from the bottom of each,- the reaction chamber, thedephlegmator and the fractionator,by which the condensate formed in therespective units may be returned to the cracking coil for furtherprocessing. A pump 32 is utilized for draining the fractionator and forforcing the condensate therefrom through the line 33 into the crackingcoil 10 along with fresh material from the source of supply or into thedephlegmator as may be desired, the various parts of the system beingconnected in the usual manner.

The operation of the system illustrated is as follows: Petroleumhydrocarbons are pumped into the cracking coil where they are raised tocracking temperature and pass therefrom into the reaction chamberwherein the vapors and coke are se arated from the liquid. The vaporsare t en led into the dephlegmator as a result of which a art thereofbecomes condensate which is led ack into the cracking coil, but theuncondensed vapor passes from the dephlegmator by means of the conduit15.

It is to be noted at this point that either the relief valve 17,preferably an automatically operated valve or the by-pass arrangementpreferably manuall operated, may be utilized for governing the pressureof the system to this point and also for maintaining a constant pressureof vapor passing through the turbine 23. The by-pass arrangementcomprises a conduit having a manually operated valve 60 shunted aroundthe valve 17. Valves 61 and 62 are provided for preventin vapor fromreaching the valve 17. Ordinar1- ly the valve 60 is kept closed and thevalves 61 and 62 opened whereby the valve 17 is free to operate. Shouldthe pressure in the system rise above the predetermined maximum, thevalve 17 will be opened automatically to permit the passage directlyinto the fractionator of an amount of va or suicient to reduce thepressure to the esired normal. In this manner, a constant pressure, bothin the distilling cycle and in the turbine is maintained with the resultthat any inequality in pressure will not affect the operation of theturbine and will have no effect upon the distilling operation as awhole. In the event of failure of the valve 17 to operate or at any timedesired this valve may be cut out of the system by valves 61 and 62 andthe valve 60 may be manually operated to control the pressure in thesystem. The vapor and condensate leaving the turbine pass into theseparator 28 from which the vapor passes into the fractionator while thecombined liquids are forced into either the fractionator or the dehlegmator.

ince the vapors are diverted from the distillin system at a point ofhigh pressure, name y, the outlet of the dephlegmator,-and returned tothe cycle at a oint of relatively lower ressure,-namely, t efractionator,- the re uction in pressure caused by the turbine will haveAno harmful effect upon the distilling operation, and in some instanceswill enhance the operation.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises a similarpressure-distilling apparatus with one variation; that is, the turbine23 is connected in the c cle at the outlet of the fractionator 18 whichis a point of relatively higher pressure than -the condenser 19 intowhich the exhaust of the turbine is introduced. In this figure, similarparts are given the same reference characters as their correspondingparts in Fig. 1 with the addition of a prime for each numeral. Theoperation of this arrangement is the same as that described in Fig. 1 upto the oint of the outlet of the dephlegmator 14. apors leaving thedephlegmator pass directly into the bottom of the fractionator 18wherein the process of fractional distillation is carried out and thevapors from the fractionator are introduced into the turbine 23", theexhaust of which passes to separator 28 from which the vapor passesthrou h line 31 into the condenser andfrom w ich the condensate alongwith the liquid from trap 25 is pumped into the condenser 19'. A. reliefvalve 17 is also provided for keeping the pressure in the system and inthe turbine constant in the manner illustrated in connection withFig. 1. The operation of the remaining apparatus is identical.

From the foregoing description of the two embodiments of the inventionillustrated, it will be seen that the present invention provides a newand useful means whereby the previously wasted energy represented by theeat contained in vapors under pressure in a destructive distillingsystem or cracking system and in any pressure-distilling systems may beutilized and converted into useful work. The system is adaptable to anydistilling arrangement wherein vapors may be diverted from a point ofhigh pressure into an arrangement of the present type and returned tothe system at a point of relatively lower pressure without impairing thedistilling operation. It will be evident to those skilled in the artthat other apparatus for further processing may be included in thesystem whereby the final product may be fully prepared for thecommercial market.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by theillustrated embodiments but only by the scope of the following claim.

I ciaim; In a hydrocarbon cracking system comprising a sull, reactionchamber, dephlegmator, and fractionator, means for converting the heatof the vapor under pressure in the system into mechanical workcomprising a prime mover of the vapor engine type, means for introducinga part of said vapor from the dephlegmator into said prime mover at highpressure, means for byassing the remainder of the vapor into said)fractionator, means for directmg the exhaust vapor from the rime moverinto said fractionator and means or returning the condensate from saidprime mover to said system for retreatment.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PHILANDER R. GRAY.

